Call Me Elvendork
by emcaro
Summary: Continuing where JKR's 800 word prequel left off, this story follows the lives of nineteen olds, Lily Evans and James Potter, and the lives of their friends through dark and difficult times.
1. In Which We Meet The Marines

**Okay, I know that starting a new fic is probably unwise considering it took me two months to update my old one. But what the hell. This idea has been floating around since I read JKR's 800 word prequel. **

**Just so we're clear I don't own the prequel. That means I don't own the first part of this story. Okay. On with the show.**

_****************************************************************************************************_

_The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers._

"Thanks very much!" called Sirius over the throb of the engine."We owe you one!"

"Yeah, nice meeting you!" said James. "And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!"

There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle's turn to rear. Before the policemen's disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.

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Sirius pulled silently into the driveway in front of a tiny cottage buried deep in Godric's Hollow.

"Coming in mate?" James mouthed. He did not dare make a sound. His girlfriend was inside, asleep-best case scenario (best not wake her), or awake-worst case scenario (best not alert her to their presence).

"And face _that_?" Sirius gave a silent bark of laughter. "No thank you. I'll see you both tomorrow. And be sure Lily realises that castrating you makes no good to her whatsoever." James' face turned a rather unhealthy shade of blue before fading to white.

"Not funny." He gasped. "Shouldn't joke about things like that."

"What makes you think I was joking," Sirius replied with a laugh before zooming away into the starless sky.

James stared after him for a moment wondering at the kind of life where one could stay out until three in the morning without nagging girlfriends. The kind of life where one could have a few drinks with your mates and not have to worry about missing dinner. The kind of life where you had a new girl hanging around every weekend.

James repressed a shudder. Honestly it sounded absolutely miserable. He did not have a clue how Padfoot put up with it. He and Lily need to find him a _nice _girl to settle down with. James knew exactly what he was missing and it did not bother him at all. But did Sirius have a _clue _what he was missing out on?

James sighed, straightened his glasses, and placed his hand on the doorknob. Time to face the music. Or the screaming, hysterical, possibly psychotic redhead. Same difference, really. He did love his girlfriend so much.

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**Four hours earlier:**

"I'm starving." Lily Evans wandered into Dorcas Meadow's closet of a flat dropping her shoes, bag and cloak as she went.

"Thank god. I was starting to wonder if I'd ever get you to eat again." Dorcas trilled, brandishing a wooden spoon in her scrawny friends direction. Lily blushed.

"Where's James tonight?"

"Out with Sirius. They'll be frightfully late. I'll have to throw a monster fit. It'll be gruesome but the make-up sex will be nice." Lily leaned over the counter to examine the contents of the pot which Dorcas was staring at intently. "If you watch that too closely, it'll blow up in your face you know."

"Oh, so I should cook like you and leave things on the burner for indeterminate amounts of time while I go off doing my hair, and washing the dishes and running small countries and everything else that needs to be done while meanwhile whatever's on the stove has blackened? Is that how I should cook?"

"Don't say things like that!" Lily looked outraged. "I _never _wash dishes. James is the neatfreak around here. He can't cook though. Which is why I eat with you on an alarming basis. So my questionable cooking methods should make you happy." Lily paused for a moment, watching her tiny, pixie-like friend stand diligently in front of the decidedly nonmagical stove. "Do you think we'll ever switch over to the, you know, nonmuggle way of doing this?" Dorcas blew a strand of short blonde hair back and laughed in her musical way.

"I highly doubt it. I don't trust those spells to truly get it right. And I really don't think you have the inclination to learn them."

"Touche, my friend. Touche."

"So what exactly are James and Sirius up to?"

"God only knows. I didn't even ask. James is the naggy one in this relationship, you know? So I just said okay, don't die all right? And he promised." Lily rolled her eyes. "But I'm more worried that he's going to forget hangover potion and I'm going to end up peeling him off the bathroom floor tomorrow morning. And I really don't want to fight with him, but if he gets in at, like, three, I don't know how to get around it." Dorcas seemed to be fighting a giggle.

"What?" Lily snapped.

"It's just, we're in the fighting in the most terrifying and brutal war the wizarding world has seen for centuries." Her tiny shoulders shook with mirth. "We are all that stands between Voldemort and the ministry. And you are worried about a fight with your boyfriend that may not even happen. Viva la resistance." Lily glared for a moment, then laughed as well.

"That's what you call a cruel irony. I wish there was someone more qualified to take over." She paused looking troubled. "I mean, we're just kids."

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**In a pub somewhere in London**

"We are fucking incredible, you know that Padfoot?"

"What have we done now Prongs?"

"We are all that stands between Ol' Voldy and the ministry. We are more qualified than the aurors. We kick ass. We like the fucking marines, ya know?"

"What the hell are the marines?"

"Come on, you know? Army-men. Only cooler. God, who deprived you of a childhood?"

"My mum."

"Touche, my friend. Touche."

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**Back at the Rat-hole aka Dorcas' Flat**

"This is fab. As always."

"I know." Dorcas replied, taking small, dainty bites of spaghetti. Lily slurped a noodle in a fashion most unbecoming to a lady causing Dorcas to shake her head sadly.

"You are utterly hopeless. We are lucky James is infatuated with you, otherwise we would never marry you off."

"Umm what year is this, 1850?" Dorcas rolled her eyes again.

"Keep doing that and they're going to get stuck that way." Lily said grinning through a mouthful of spaghetti. "Speaking of marrying the old maids off, what's new on the guy front for you, little lady?"

"Went on a date last night. It was absolutely horrendous. I cut out halfway though the appetizer."

"What? Why?"

"See I remembered, _Oh yeah, we're in a fucking war. I probably shouldn't go off with random guys_."

"But Dorcas," Lily tone became patronizing. "You know how crabby you get when you're not getting any."

"See previous comment: _we're in a fucking war. I probably shouldn't go off screwing random guys either!"_

"Oh, but where is the fun in that? What are we fighting for, if not to live? You should be able to live Dork."

"Don't call me that." Lily merely looked pensive.

"Sure thing Dork. Look I got the best idea. James has this friend, right---"

"No."

"You didn't let me finish." Lily whined.

"Because I knew what you were going to say. The answer's no."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to. That's why."

"Look his name is Sirius--"

"I know what his name is."

"His name is Sirius and you probably know him 'cause you were only a couple of years behind us in school---"

"No."

"And he's a really nice guy; he just keeps bringing home these sluts--"

"No."

"And I think you'd be really good for each other. You've probably seen him around--

"No."

"He works for the Order--"

"No."

"Please. Pleeeease. Please, please, please, please---"

"Shut _up_! _Okay_!"

"Okay as in okay, you'll do it, or okay as in okay, I'm gonna hex you now?"

"Hmmm."

"Dooooork!"

Okay, I'll do it."

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"Where to now?" Sirius asked heartily laying down a couple of galleons on the bar, much to the disappointment of the blonde girl twirling her hair round her finger and sending them flirty glances. Sirius did not even seem to notice her as he and James made for the door.

"I should probably be getting back. I don't want Lily to worry."

"Aww isn't that just the most pwecious thing you ever saw? Ickle Prongsie is whipped." James drew himself up to his full height, a full two inches taller than Sirius. He glared at Sirius in a way that can only be described as dangerous.

"I'm not whipped."

"Prove it then, brother."

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"I don't really want to go home yet."

"Why?" Dorcas was curled into a tiny ball in the corner of her overstuffed, mustard and blue floral couch, the only furniture that would fit in the flat. Lily was stretched out with her feet partially in her friends' lap.

"If James isn't home, I'll have to get annoyed."

"Back to that, are we? And if he is home?"

"He'll want to talk. And I don't want too."

"What about?"

"If I don't want to talk about it with James, why the hell would I want to talk about it with you?"

"Good point."

There was a prolonged silence. Then Lily said,

"James wants to get married."

"I KNEW it."

"How did you know? I didn't even know? This was like the biggest kick in the stomach. I didn't see it coming! I thought we were happy like this. I mean living together. Living together was a big step, but we were making it work and we were happy. But _marriage_? Holy matrimony? Til death do us part? As long as we both shall live? I'm nineteen. That could be a really, fucking long time."

"Do you love James?"

"Of course I love James. That's a stupid question. Why would you even ask me a question like that?"

"What do you love about him?"

"Where is this coming from? Geez!"

"Answer the question Lily."

"Okay! Well." Lily stared into space for an exorbitant amount of time and for a moment it seemed she had nothing to say. Then when she finally spoke her words seemed to tumble out on top of one another, coming too quickly for her to form them properly.

"I love that he punched that guy at the pub the other night who said I had a nice ass. But I love even more that I had to ice his hand when we got home. I love it when he tries to tame his hair. But I love even more when it's messy and all-over-the-place. I love that he tries to be all macho around Sirius, but he's really a big softy. I love that he makes me feel safe when the world goes ape-shit. I love that he cleans up the cottage, because he can't stand to live in clutter. I love clutter. James is clutter. But he can't live in clutter. And it is so unbelievably adorable. I love that the one time we tried to cook for his parents we ended up causing a minuscule explosion in the kitchen area. And I love that we could laugh about it, rather than cry. I just-- I love him. So much."

Dorcas was laughing by the end of her long speech. She had her head thrown back. But when she turned to face Lily, real tears shone in her eyes.

"Then go get him. Can you really picture yourself spending the rest of your life any other way than growing old with James Potter? I can't. I can see it now." Dorcas took on the mystical tones of a divination teacher they had both once had and dropped after only a year of the subject. "You will have many Jamessettes and Liller Potters. They will be upstanding members of soceity. Except for that one. He will take after his father and end doing much court ordered community service. But you will not talk about him much. You will grow very old and frightfully ugly, but for some reason, James will love you anyway. Because he will be just as old and possibly uglier." Dorcas dropped the mystical act. "Yes, I don't see him aging well. Sorry Lily."

Lily glanced at the clock and jumped.

"It's half-past two! I have to go! I've been whining about James getting in late and look at me!" She hugged her dimunitive friend goodbye. "Oh and bye the way, Liller? You are so not naming any of our children."

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The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.

"Thanks very much!" called Sirius over the throb of the engine."We owe you one!"

"Yeah, nice meeting you!" said James. "And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!"

There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle's turn to rear. Before the policemen's disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.

"We are the fucking MARINES!" Sirius' shout could be heard throughout London and possibly throughout Britian. James laughed along with him, a carefree sound that was too rare in troubled times.

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**Present Time**

James turned the doorknob, content, despite the reception he felt sure would be waiting for him. The door creaked open. He winced at the sound. The cottage was pitch dark. With a flick of his wand, the lights in the front room and adjoining kitchen had been illuminated.

What James saw caused his stomach to drop. He felt as though he were underwater. He couldn't breathe. His knees were weak. He could feel himself falling.

Then he straightened. His training with the Order kicked in. He began to take inventory.

The apartment had been completely ransacked. There was no sign of Lily. Not in the front room. Not in the kitchen. Not in the bedroom. Not when he shout and screamed her name.

Lily was gone.

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**What do you guys think? Any good? I'm trying to make it flow naturally. I'd love feedback!**


	2. In Which Ol' Voldy is a Sensitive Soul

**Thanks to all who reviewed!**

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**Chapter Two:**

**Present Time: About Three A.M**

James turned the doorknob, content, despite the reception he felt sure would be waiting for him. The door creaked open. He winced at the sound. The cottage was pitch dark. With a flick of his wand, the lights in the front room and adjoining kitchen had been illuminated.

What James saw caused his stomach to drop. He felt as though he were underwater. He couldn't breathe. His knees were weak. He could feel himself falling.

Then he straightened. His training with the Order kicked in. He began to take inventory.

The apartment had been completely ransacked. There was no sign of Lily. Not in the front room. Not in the kitchen. Not in the bedroom. Not when he shout and screamed her name.

Lily was gone.

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**About 2:30 A.M**

Lily apparated inside her cottage. These times called for nothing less. Henry Caldwater had apparated to his front stoop and been met with an ambush. Four Death Eaters had taken him down in a matter of seconds. And he was one of the Order's best defensive fighters. Once again Lily was struck with the heavy feeling of hopelessness. The Death Eaters knew who they were. The Death Eaters knew where they lived. What was the point? They were picking them off, one by one.

Alastor Moody would be berating Lily right now for her lack of vigilance. Her wand was not out. She was not checking her home for intruders. But the abundance of protective charms on the house made it unlikely that anyone would get in. And if they did, well, then she would deal with it. Perhaps, rather like Henry Caldwater had dealt with it.

In fact, the idea of Death Eaters being in the house was the furthest thing from Lily's mind as she dropped her cloak on the floor and kicked off her shoes. She was thinking about Dorcas. Dorcas did not need to be alone anymore. She had been living on her own for less than a year, and Lily did not like it actually. Maybe James would let her move in with them. She wouldn't take up much space. It wasn't safe for her to be by herself like that. With the work she was doing for the Order, it was unlikely she would make it another month living by herself.

"Well, well, well. What have we here boys?" A deceptively soft voice echoed through the tiny space. Lily's heart entered the vicinity of her throat. Her hand reached her wand and slid it out of her pocket. The lights came on in a moment. Lily was not sure if she did that involuntarily or if one of their people did it. She did not have time to ponder this for long.

The room was filled. At quick count, Lily guessed six cloaked, masked, killing machines. Six to one. Not the best odds in the world. Okay. _Okay_. A plan. That's what was needed. She could get out of this alive. She could see James again. A plan. She needed a plan.

The one who had spoken, smaller than the rest, decidedly female in her movements and tone, moved closer.

"Oh, I see now." She was much too close now. "It's a little flower. A little flower, alll alone in the dark." The laugh that escaped her was wrong, so wrong. Lily's fingers tightened around her wand. Still, she did not move.

"I should be flattered I suppose," Lily startled herself by speaking in a surprisingly sure tone.

"And why is that, little flower." One of the larger ones seemed to leer through his mask.

"Six against one? Did you really think it would take that many? Did you really think I would put up that much of a fight? I'm flattered." Lily laughed, but the sound was off slightly. Her bravado was just that. Bravado. She looked around the room, eyes darting almost.

There was a thinner man on the far right who seemed to be on the outside of the semicircle that the four bulky men had made around the woman. Lily stared at him for just a moment, just long enough to see his eyes behind his startling silver mask. They were, unsurprisingly, black.

Not flat black, however, they were black like someone Lily had once known, a long time ago. Her eyes flickered back to the woman in the center who was raising her wand.

"Say goodnight, little flower." She crooned. At the same moment Lily lifted her own wand.

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**Present Time: About 3:15**

"Sirius." James' voice broke at the sight of his old friend who had appeared mere moments after James' frantic floo message. Sirius, who had just arrived at his flat in Hogsmeade, turned right around and left for the place he had just come from.

Rather than replying, Sirius merely clapped a hand on James' shoulder, before going inside to go through the ransacked cottage. Years of weathering crisis's together made words unnecessary.

"Did you get in touch with Dumbledore?" He yelled out through the open door.

"Does anyone get in touch with Dumbledore?" James asked bitterly. "I sent my patronous to find him. It could be a while."

"What else have you done?" Sirius exited the house looking almost as physically sick as James. His face was white; his mouth a thin line.

"Flooed Remus and Peter. They're on their way. Patronous to Moody, Shacklebolt, Vance, McKinnon, the Longbottoms, and Meadows."

"Good, good." Sirius looked distracted. "But there was no Mark? You're sure of that? When you got home there was no Dark Mark over the house?"

"No Mark, no body. Jesus, Sirius, you were with me."

"Yeah." James was pacing. Sirius was deceptively still.

Sudden cracks all around them signaled the arrival of a good portion of the Order of the Phoenix.

"What the bloody hell is going on here, huh? I saw Lily, not forty-five minutes ago. She's no more missing than I am. You're just not looking right. Let me see." Dorcas stomped up the stairs and through the open door. When she came out, her expression mirrored James and Sirius'.

"Oh god."

"No shit."

"We've alerted the Department to her disappearance. We already have a team dispatched to look for her." Frank placed a hand on James' shoulder. "We'll find her Potter."

"Yeah, you sure as hell will," Dorcas said, hands on her hips. She relaxed her pose. "What am I saying. No you won't. You're the Auror Department. You can't find anyone."

Frank looked unamused, but Moody, who had limped up behind the crowd at some point, nodded sagely. "She's got a point."

"Pete, you okay buddy?" Marlene McKinnon asked. Peter was white and shaking. He was slumped against the porch step next to Remus who looked like he didn't know quite what to do with him. James walked over to him.

"Peter, you _cannot _fall apart on me now. Do you think I'm _not _terrified? If she's dead, I'm dead, do you understand that? But you can't fall apart because she might be alive. And as long as she might be alive, we have to focus everything on getting her back. She's strong, she'll do her part. We have to do ours. Got it?" James' tone left no room for argument. Peter nodded and straightened. Remus stared at James a moment, an inscrutable expression in his eyes, before nodding as well.

"Would everybody get the hell in the house! We're sitting ducks out here!"

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**About 2:35**

"STUPEFY!" Lily shouted as she hit the floor and rolled. Her spell hit one of the big wizards flanking the woman. Damn. If it had hit the woman, would they have given up?

Probably doubtful.

Lily rolled out from behind her couch.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Lily had the pleasure of seeing another great lug fall. _The bigger they are, the harder they fall_, she thought slightly manically.

"Crucio!" The witch cackled. Lily tried to dodge it but she was too slow. Once the screaming subsided and consciousness no longer escaped her, Lily noticed four remaining Death Eater standing over her. They seemed relaxed. They did not expect her to be able to move after a curse like that. They did not seem to realise that James Potter had used her for target practice, Years One through Four for all of his nasty little hexes. Her hair was kind of similar to a beacon. Hogwarts was like boot camp. She could handle anything. She would have to remember to thank him for that.

She kicked the witch's feet out from under her in one swift movement. Grabbing her wand again. She noticed, with a certain amount of shock, the last Death Eater pulling out his wand and finishing off the last two big ones for her as she stunned the woman already on the floor.

Turning she faced the final Death Eater with a healthy amount of wariness. He was in the process of pulling off his mask, laughing a little as he went. Lily gasped.

"What the hell?"

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**Present Time: About Four A.M**

"What the hell? Where exactly is he? Huh? What could possibly be more important than Lily's disappearance?"

"The state of the free Wizarding world?" Dorcas offered. She flinched at James' expression. "Just a thought." She muttered.

"You might want to keep those thoughts to yourself, sugar. James is a little testy right now, in case you haven't noticed." Sirius leaned against the counter.

"We're _all _a little testy right now, in case _you _haven't noticed." Dorcas snapped.

"Just a thought." Sirius smiled lazily and put his hands up in surrender.

"What are you smiling about? Lily is missing! I don't see anything remotely funny about this situation."

"_Missing_, sugar. Not dead. That means, that if I know my little Lily like I think I do, she is giving those Death Eaters hell right now. And I find that funny."

The other members of the Order had long since left, leaving only Sirius, Dorcas, and James to twiddle their thumbs and wait for news. James did not like twiddling his thumbs. He did not respond well to waiting for news.

"Dumbledore should _be _here! He _should _be here! He got us into this mess. He should be here when the shit hits the fan."

"No one's arguing with you mate." Sirius nodded his agreement.

"No one would dare." Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"We should be doing something!"

"_That _I can get on board with. Bugging Dumbledore, no. Action plan, yes." Dorcas' eyes lit up. "_Do _you have a plan? Sirius' head swiveled back and forth between James and Dorcas as though they were a mildly arresting tennis match.

"No. Do you?"

"Not exactly. I do have an idea though. Does anyone remember that article Lily wrote last week?"

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**Tuesday of Last Week**

"Check it out!" Lily entered Dorcas' apartment with a bang, causing Dorcas to drop the book she was holding.

"That is so incredibly rude, you know? To apparate right into someone's home? At least give me the opportunity to tell you to go away, so you can ignore me and come in anyway."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll do better next time. Look here!" Lily threw the Daily Prophet at Dorcas who curled her upper lip at it.

"You still take this rubbish? It's _propaganda_! I stopped my subscription ages ago."

"Because you're a saint and I'm a sinner, I know, I know. But look at the front page!" A large caricature covered the front page. It showed Voldemort curled on the couch, book in hand.

_**Dark Lord Or Sensitive Soul?**_

_Sources close to the Dark Lord also known as Lord Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle, also known as Tommy Boy, say that pressure of the being the most evil wizard known to humanity is getting to him. _

_"Sometimes I just want to curl up with a good romance novel, you know? And it's really hard! Because no one expects the Dark Lord to have feelings too! But even I need a good cry every now and then."_

_Even the Death Eaters closest to him say that everyone needs to just lay off the poor fellow. Ignatious Avery had this to say. _

_"He's tired. Tired and lonely. There's no one who truly understands what he's going through. You would be tired too if you did what he does. He's got a big job, what with the mass murders and whatnot. So just everyone lay OFF, all right?"_

_So perhaps we should head the fervent wishes of those closest to Tommy Boy, and let him curl up with his romance novel and have his good cry. It's understandable because after all, in the words of Moldy Voldy himself,_

_"NOBODY can do what I do!"_

"Oh dear god. You'll be murdered in your bed." Dorcas' eyes were saucers. Lily cackled with mirth.

"I think it's funny. I also think everyone needs something like it right now. A good laugh, you know? But more than that too." Her eyes were serious now. "And I'm in no more danger now than I was yesterday." Dorcas met her steady gaze, then smiled weakly.

"So how did you do it?"

"I charmed the paper! Like a mass charm? I actually had to sneak into the plant, where they print the papers, and charm the machine. Pretty cool, huh?"

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**2:40 A.M**

"Benjy Fenwick!" Lily was not sure what she felt. Relief. Horror. Everything was coming at her too quickly for her to process.

"Traitor?" She realized this was a question. Some upstanding member of the Order of the Phoenix she was. Honestly. She couldn't even accuse someone properly. Benjy flicked back his hood. His black eyes were unreadable. Benjy was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He had been in Ravenclaw at Hogwarts in the same year as Lily. They had been prefects together, casual friends, little more. He was known to be loyal to Dumbledore's cause.

"Evans, no. _Calm_, okay. I need you to stay as calm as you can. They are going to be sending reinforcements. We knew you were going to be a handful. We need to get you out of here. And me as well. This little situation effectively blows my cover." Benjy jumped between lumping himself with the Death Eaters (We knew you were going to be a handful) and with Lily (We need to get you out of here). It was eerie and Lily did not really want to trust him. But she was shaky and he was familiar and she did not see any other option.

"Get _up_. I don't want to be the poor sod sitting 'round when _He _figures out what went down here tonight." Lily did not have to ask who He was. She no longer had qualms about trusting Benjy. He said his name, not with the loving reverence of a follower, but with the harsh, brutal respect of an enemy. Lily recognized one of her own in an instant and allowed him to help him up. Funny how something so small, could be so significant. Together, the two slipped silently from the cottage into the night.

"Wait! James! He'll be home soon; what if they're still there?" Lily could feel the fear threaten to overtake her for the first time all night at the thought of a drunk James coming home to house full of Death Eaters.

"Then the Order will win a great victory tonight. We will capture Bellatrix Lestrange and many others. James will have the advantage. They will be unconscious. It will simply be a matter of calling the Aurors. More than likely though, they will come too before then and make their escape."

"Why did we leave them there?" Benjy laughed bitterly. "When I said I had to get you out, I wasn't kidding Evans. They want you dead. You think that little stunt you pulled last week was funny? Lord Voldemort didn't find it funny. They want you dead and there isn't a damn thing you can do except lie low. Head down and arse covered, that's got to be your motto right now Evans."

"Wait, you mean with the Prophet? Are you kidding? That's what this is about?"

"You insulted them Lily. You insulted them all. He controls the paper. Your infiltration of it and that article, it gave people hope. That's a very dangerous thing these days." Lily laughed.

"I didn't realise I did _that _much good. It was mostly for a laugh. Sirius was bored. We were trying to amuse him." Lily gasped. "This is all Sirius' fault!"

Benjy shook his head, incredulous. "You almost died tonight."

"I'm so aware of it. Sirius almost got me killed! I am so kicking his ass next time I see him." Benjy shook his head. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Hogwarts. I'll make sure you're safe there, then I have to disappear."

"Ahh that's why we haven't apparated yet."

"No, we haven't apparated yet because it's too noisy and I don't want to call attention."

"LILY!"

"That's James!"

"I'm aware."

"I have to go back." Lily turned to run back to the cottage, but Benjy caught her round the waist.

"Not quite Evans. I'm keeping you alive Evans. Not keeping your boyfriend sane. You're going to Hogwarts."

"Jerk."

"I'm aware." Benjy stopped abruptly. "Okay. We can apparate from here. Hogsmeade, count of three. One, two, CRACK!"

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**Okay, show of hands, who thought it was Snape under the mask? Review please!**


	3. In Which Dorcas Has a Secret

**Quarter After Three: Somewhere in Hogsmeade**

Lily was always a step behind Fenwick. His step was brisk, and his legs were long, a lethal combination. While Lily was not exactly short, she wasn't incredibly tall either. She quickly found herself hopelessly out of breath. Hogsmeade was deserted. Curfew was in place, for the people's protection, and generally everyone abided by it. Lily felt sure that if they saw anyone tonight, they should gear up for another fight. In response to that thought, she pulled her wand out of her pocket. She shivered a little and wished for her cloak. Fenwick had to be taking them in circles through Hogsmeade.

"Do we have a tail?"

"No."

"Then why the--"

"Shh." Benjy stopped in his tracks.

"I think everyone knows where Hogwarts castle is, Fenwick. It's not exactly a secret."

"Shhh." Benjy shushed more urgently.

"Well why are we going around our elbow to get there?"

"Jesus, don't you ever shut up?" Lily glared.

"I want to know where the hell we're going, all right? I know we're not going to the castle." Lily said in a low, angry voice. She was tired. She was annoyed. She was frightened for James, for Sirius, whom she knew must already be at the cottage frantically searching for her, and for Dorcus, whom she knew would arrive soon if she was not already there. Despite herself, Lily found herself hoping that the Death Eaters _did _have a chance to get away before James arrived home. From the sound of his voice, they did manage make their escape. All this weighed heavily on Lily's mind as she pointed her wand at Benjy Fenwick's neck.

"What the fuck's going on here?" Benjy smiled a little and glanced down at the wand at his throat.

"If I meant you any harm Lily, I would have killed you a long time ago. In fact, I never would have taken off my mask. You can put that down." Lily did not move.

"Okay. I guess it's kind of understandable. We're headed to the new headquarters for the Order, not Hogwarts. Obviously not Hogwarts."

"Why not Hogwarts? You said Hogwarts. And when did they move headquarters?"

"Jesus, you ask a shitload of questions, you know that? Okay, because we need to find Dumbledore; I know what I said, but anybody could have heard that so obviously I'm not taking you where I said I was taking you; and late last night. In secret."

"Why--"

"No! I want to get there before dawn."

**Back to Dorcas', James, Sirius and the Waiting Game**

"Yeah that was funny. But I don't think she would get abducted for a little thing like that letter. Plus Lily never gets caught. It's her thing. She had that impeccable reputation in school because she never got caught. It would be really hard to trace it back to her." James' brow was furrowed.

"Really hard, but not impossible." Dorcas looked more excited than truly concerned now. "In my year at school, there was this girl, Black, Bella Black." Dorcas felt Sirius stiffen beside her, but she continued. "She could track down anyone. It was eerie. Like one time, I stole her toothbrush and covered it in acid to melt her teeth, and she knew it was me. I have no idea how. I did it in the middle of the night. But it was more than that, I don't even know how to explain it. That girl was like a dog! Once she latched on to something, she always figured it out. And she was loyal to the Dark Lord's cause."

"The Dark Lord?" Sirius cocked an eyebrow.

"Sorry. Voldemort." Dorcus flushed. "It's kind of catchy."

"So you think this Black woman has Lily?"

"I don't know. It's just a hunch. Did you notice it smells like perfume in your cottage?" James looked bewildered and sniffed the air.

"It's mostly gone now. I mean when we first got here." Sirius was nodding slowly.

"That wasn't Lily's perfume." Dorcas shook her head.

"I didn't recognize it. A woman was here. And the only female Death Eater I know of is Bella Black."

**Somewhere in Hogsmeade (Who knew it was this big?)**

Another pressing concern weighed on Lily's mind. Would reinforcements come for the others? Probably not, she comforted herself. They did not have any real incentive to go after the others tonight. _They did not write the stupid article, s_he thought bitterly. Dorcas had been right, as per always. Regardless of any good she had done, it had been a foolish idea. Benjy stopped suddenly once again. Lily looked around. She was certain they had passed this particular quaint and adorable cottage once before. That gingerbread looked impossibly familiar.

"We're going in circles!"

"I'm aware."

"Stop saying that!" Lily was at the end of her patience. She was dipping into reserves and coming up empty. If this guy didn't straighten up and get her somewhere warm, preferably with a fire or an owl so that she could get in touch with James, she was going to throw a shit fit to rival Abe Lincoln's wife. She was going to curse this guy so bad, his grandmother was going to be sore tomorrow. She was going to--

"Get down--" In a swift movement Fenwick pushed her to the ground so that, naturally, she got a face-full of dirt. A menacing jet of green light whizzed by, exactly where her head had been. "Run!" He hissed in an urgent whisper.

"And leave you without backup? Not likely." Lily retorted, raising her wand. Benjy shot a frantic glance to the Death Eaters still about fifty feat away. Benjy leaned close so that he and Lily were eye to eye.

"Tell me mum I'm sorry about the lost year. And that I love her. Now get to Hogwarts. Don't watch. Move now!" With that Benjy flicked his wand at Lily sending her flying into the shadows of the Forbidden Forest. That was going to leave a mark. In fact, it was becoming increasingly difficult to draw breath. Fantastic. Broken ribs were an absolute joy to have healed. Instead of heeding Benjy's orders, Lily crouched, wincing, in a nearby bush. Benjy seemed to sense her presence. He turned slightly in her direction, and lifted his wand minutely. Suddenly, Lily found that she could not move. That rat bastard had immobilized her! At least she had an almost unobscured view of the happenings in the middle of the cobblestone street. With a surge of renewed terror, Lily recognized the smallest cloaked figure as the woman who had been waiting in her living room earlier. In an instant, the woman had disarmed him. Lily was frozen in the bushes, and Benjy was now completely helpless.

"Why Bella. What a pleasure to see you this evening." And Benjy did not look as though it was anything less of a pleasure to be surrounded by half a dozen Death Eaters on an abandoned streetcorner.

"Mr. Fenwick." The little one, Bella tsked. "The Dark Lord does not like traitors, Mr. Fenwick. You should know that. He does not like filthy blood traitors who protect smart-mouthed mudbloods. He does not appreciate those who do not know their place. Ms. Evans does not know her place. She will be dealt with accordingly. And it seems you have forgotten yours." She took a step forward in a fashion that was somewhat menacing. She was a hair's width away from his face now. "How shall we punish him, boys? How shall we deal with the blood traitor?"

"Death!" One called out, in a high reedy voice that did not fit his bulky profile.

"Death, death, death!" The rest began to chant.

"Mmmm. The masses have spoken. Death to the blood traitor." Bella leaned even closer; she might have been kissing Benjy. He seemed frozen, an almost smile on his lips. He shook his head slightly.

"You will never win. My only regret is that I will not be here to see it; to see you fall, _one _by _one_." Benjy began to laugh. He laughed harder still as they shouted for him to shut up. Lily stared, frozen, transfixed in horror. Finally all of the Death Eaters in the circle raised their wands simultaneously. In a terrific blast, Lily could move again, and Benjy Fenwick was no more.

**Back to the Waiting Game**

"Just sent my patronus to Dumbledore. Told him your suspicions about Black. But honestly, if he can't be bothered to find, what was it? Bellatrix?" He directed the question to Sirius who had gone deathly white. He gave a tight-lipped nod. James continued, "Then I don't see why he would find her now. Not like he can be bothered with us." James shook his head disgusted. "We're just out there, risking our arses for him. Lily might be dying for him. It's all good."

"Lily's not dying for him." Dorcas stared at James, a look of amazement on her face. "If she's dying at all, she's dying for her cause. Not for Dumbledore. And he knows that."

"Can I talk to you?" Sirius stood suddenly and glared at Dorcas. Dorcas rose to her feet gracefully.

"If you must. Although if you're going to try to pick me up, I really must protest." She gave him a crooked smile which he did not return. He led her from the room into the bedroom. She arched her brow and opened her mouth to make another joke but he cut her off.

"Bellatrix Black is a pyschopath. She is absolutely apeshit. If she has Lily, Lily is dead." Dorcas whitened.

"Oh. Wow."

"She will have tortured her first. She will have died a brutal and horrific death. Hear me?"

"Yeah. Yeah I hear you. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you seem to know a fair few Death Eaters. I don't know how, but you do. Run with a funny crowd in school, did you?" Both Dorcas' eyebrows shot up at that.

"You know, that's rich coming from you. I guarantee I know less than you."

"Yeah, but I've cut myself off from them. You on speaking terms with any of them?" Dorcas looked uncomfortable.

"Look, what I do for the Order is none of your business, all right?"

"Yeah, I get that. And I'm not saying you're a Death Eater. I'm just asking you to find out who took her. And I'm asking for it to not be Bellatrix Black. Understand?"

"Not really."

"Yeah." Sirius looked a little confused himself.

"I think you're trying to threaten me though. And you should probably know that, I don't threaten well. At all. But as Lily's best friend, I'll do what you say. But only because I was going to do it anyway." Sirius grinned slowly.

"I don't doubt it."

"You want to know something really funny?"

"More than anything."

"The guy I'm gonna call?" Dorcas paused and stared Sirius down. "He wasn't even in Slytherin. He was a Ravenclaw."

**Hogwarts Castle **

All was still and silent inside Hogwarts castle, as far as Lily could tell anyway. She was certain that just beyond her line of vision, daring students hid behind the statue of Uric the Unclean and in alcoves speaking in hushed tones. Lily remembered her days at Hogwarts School well. She had not been one of the flagrant rule-breakers, but she had not exactly been a model of good behavior either. She could pinpoint a few night-time wanderings that she, herself, had been involved in.

Tonight was quite different, however, from those carefree nights, where the most pressing danger was Filch's cat and the only deadline was sunrise. Lily ran through the corridors like a madwoman. She was making her way to Dumbledore's office without any real hope of finding Dumbledore there. He was rarely at his school these days; he most certainly did not spend many nights here anymore. Lily prayed that tonight was the exception to that rule. Reaching the stone gargoyle that signified the entrance to Dumbledore's office, provided one could tell the password, Lily stopped, to catch her breath and wish, in a maniacal moment, that she had caused a little more ruckus in school. Maybe then, she would have an idea as to the password to the Headmaster's office.

Lily was so unaware of her surroundings that she ran smack into the man that she was frantically searching for, knocking both of them to the floor. Lily moaned and clutched her ribs. She wasn't sure how much more she could take tonight.

"Ms. Evans! It's good to see you alive and well." He took in her shaky and broken appearance. "Well mostly well. Are you in much pain? Can you tell me what has happened, or shall I escort you to the hospital wing?"

"I--" Lily gasped.

"Catch your breath, Ms. Evans. Everything is all right now."

"I need to tell you."

"Ah yes. Come. My office, I think, is the best place for life-altering discussions and soul-searching confessions. Come." With surprising strength for a man his age, Professor Dumbledore lifted her to her feet. Lily leaned on him, all dignity left in that ditch where she had lain hidden as Benjy had been blown to bits.

**Nondescript Waiting Room Outside the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts School**

"She's safe James. Give it a rest." James continued to pace, much to Dorcas' immense irritation. The constant movement was doing nothing for her migraine.

"Can you at least do it in another room? My head actually feels like someone is ripping holes the size of craters inside it." Dorcas closed her eyes. She could feel tears welling up only serving to annoy her further. Whether they were tears of relief or pain she did not know nor did she care. Dorcas hated tears. When she cracked her eyes open again the room was still. Sirius was silent and (happily) unmoving in the corner chair. James had left the room to pace in the hall. Dorcas sighed and closed her eyes again. Her peace lasted all of eleven point two seconds. She cracked her eyes open again.

"What are you staring at?" Sirius was watching her intently, as though he had asked her a question and she had forgotten to answer.

"Why don't I know you?"

"Is that some kind of pick up line? Because if it is, I've heard better from twelve year olds."

"Disturbing, but no. It wasn't a pick up line, unless of course you wanted it to be." He grinned that easy grin at her. He wasn't exactly flirting with her. His manner was just like that: frank, open, charming, and somehow, incredibly likable. If you went for that sort of thing. Sensing her impatience, he continued, "No it was an honest question. Why don't I know you? You would have been, what fifteen when I was a seventh year? And you were friends with Lily? We should have been friends too. But we weren't. Why?"

Dorcas opened her eyes fully, and sat up in her chair. She leaned her head in her hand as she contemplated him. She had a feeling he wouldn't like what she was about to tell him.

"We didn't exactly run in the same circles, you and I."

"Why not exactly?" Dorcas didn't answer. "Come on, just answer the question sweetheart. I don't bite. Much."

"Because I was a Slytherin." Dorcas watched the shock in his eyes with a sort of sick satisfaction.

"But you're muggleborn."

"Oh, so do you have darling Bella's talent for being able to smell us from a mile away?" Sirius' lip curled.

"Lily told me." He replied, a new coldness in his tone that half amused, half frightened Dorcas. She wondered if perhaps she'd pushed him too far.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"For what? Being a Slytherin?" Sirius' tone was gentler now.

"No." Dorcas' chin lifted a fraction.

"For what then?"

"Bringing up your family. You don't like to talk about them." He looked a little surprised.

"How did you know that?"

"Lily told me."

"Lily talks too much."

"Lily's here!" James burst back in the room. He had the look of a drowning man thrown a life preserver.

"Oh joy." Sirius intoned. Dorcas elbowed him in the ribs. James did not seem to notice this exchange. Or if he did, he was choosing to ignore it. But when Lily wandered into the small waiting room the little group was congregated in, Sirius was actually quicker than Dorcas to jump to his feet, his face lighting up in a heart-stopping grin. If you went for that sort of thing. Dorcas was not far behind him; she hurtled herself at the taller girl, nearly knocking her off her already unsteady feet. Tears in her eyes, Dorcas grabbed Lily's shoulders and spit out the words everyone was thinking,

"Don't. You. Ever. Do. This. To. Us. Again. Do you hear me, young lady? I've had quite enough of your antics for one evening, thankyouverymuch. I'm going to go prematurely grey, and no man will want me, and it will be all your fault!" Lily choked out a laugh and nodded, unable to speak. She glanced over Dorcas' head to the face she wanted to see most of all. But Sirius got in her way.

"You ever pull a stunt like this again, Evans, and I will personally kick your ass. You think I won't? Just because you're a girl, you think you have immunity?" Lily shrugged helplessly. "Well you don't. How hard would it have been to send an owl? Huh, Lily? A single fucking owl to let us know you weren't in a hundred pieces in a ditch somewhere?"

At this, the strings holding Lily together tightened and snapped. Sobbing, she slumped against the door. Sirius looked stricken. Dorcas shot him the look of death, but she looked highly uncomfortable. Tears were bad. Tears were very bad. Tears sucked. Sirius and Dorcas backed off in a major way.

Then James was there; his arms were around her, trying to quell her shaking. He forced her to look at him. "Let's go home." He murmured, somehow knowing, without asking, exactly what she needed right now. He didn't know exactly what had she had experienced in those three hours she had been missing. Knowing the type of people they made a habit of pissing off, it could have been any number of horrors. All James knew was that she was not going to get any better without sleep, she was not going to get any better here, and she was not going to be getting any better tonight. The best place for her to take a dreamless sleep potion and forget the events of tonight was at home. So home was where they were going.

Dorcas and Sirius exchanged a glance. Neither was fully comfortable with the amount of emotion being shown in the room at this very moment. In fact, Sirius was looking at his feet and Dorcas was looking at the ceiling. Dorcas was tapping her toe, and Sirius checked his watch every minute or so. Lily glanced up at them and laughed a little, albeit weakly.

"Oh get out of here, Oh Emotionally Stunted Ones. And take your negative feelings with you."

"Just as long as I get to keep 'em to myself." Sirius said as he made a break for the door, Dorcas not far behind. She paused to throw her arms around Lily again. It was rather awkward as James never loosened his hold on Lily either but they made it work.

"Call me when you can." Then she too was gone.

"Come on." James reached out an arm to wrap around her waist, sensing that she was spent. Lily leaned her head against his shoulder and aloud him to apparate them both home.

Fear gripped Lily's chest as they stood on the front stoop of the dark cottage. She turned instead to look at the sun; it was just peeking over the edge of a nearby hill giving an absolutely gorgeous view. Lily reached out and touched James' hand, stopping him from opening the door.

"What is it?" She motioned to the sunrise.

"For a little while there, I didn't think I would ever see this again." James sat on the front step and pulled Lily down into his lap. Lily curled up and stared at the sun as it slowly creeped its way up. A tear leaked out of her eye before it closed and she thought no more.

**Okay so obviously this can't be a light story. But I don't want it to get too heavy either. So, I had to bring Lily back pretty quickly as she's kind of a light-hearted character. Good dialogue when she's involved too. This was never meant to be a major action story. While I like to read those, I don't think I am very good at writing them. SO that's all the action bits you get for a while. The rest will probably be implied. Whined about. Woken up in the hospital over. But rarely actually seen. Capiche? Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed. Honestly every review makes my day. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Review!**


	4. In Which Lily Does Something Unorthodox

**In Which Lily Does Something Unorthodox---Shocker.**

**An Old, Seemingly-Abandoned Warehouse**

"Don't be a douche Sirius." Dorcas' short blonde hair fell into her face. Rather than blowing it away, she left it there and glared at her the alarmingly good-looking man beside her.

Sirius laughed a little. "I'm serious. Tell me. What did you love most about the Slytherins? Maybe you'll convert me. I'll finally see the light, hmm?"

Sirius and Dorcas were sharing guard duty at mutual request, one Dorcas was beginning to sorely regret. Ever since Lily's rescue the two had been thrown together often, likely due to Lily's meddling and found that they enjoyed each other's company. Times were hard and friends were rare. It was not unusual to latch on tightly when one found a kindred spirit. Particularly when one's best friend was one half of The Most Perfect Couple Never To Get Married.

Dorcas smiled, if somewhat ironically. "I know you're Sirius."

Sirius tweaked her nose. "That pun was old the second time it was used. Now, tell me honestly, sweetheart." He took on the role of a muggle psychiatrist, propping his chin on his fist and knitting his brow. "Did you have trouble fitting in with the pureblooded Death-Eater fanatics that make up my family and Slytherin house?" His voice was low, serious, but his eyes glittered with suppressed mirth.

Dorcus rolled her eyes again and giggled. "Not really," she replied airily. She shivered. They were guarding an old warehouse, or so it seemed. Hogwarts School as the muggles saw it was nothing special. Usually muggles were the _only _ones to see this ugly visage. Things were different now. With darker times came stronger enchantments. Now Hogwarts School was invisible to all and guarded twenty-four/seven by members of the Order of the Phoenix. Dorcas continued speaking to keep her mind off the chill of the night air. "They're generally good to one of their own."

He looked surprised. "Even a muggleborn?"

"Even a mudblood." Dorcas nodded.

Sirius stood up, the cloak that had been covering the two for warmth slipped off. His eyes flashed dangerously and his posture, which had previously been relaxed and somewhat sleepy, looked nothing of the sort. Dorcas leapt to her feet also, drawing her wand.

"What's happening?" She asked turning this way and that, trying to see what Sirius had sensed.

But Sirius was not looking around. He was not touching his wand. Instead he reached out and grabbed Dorcas roughly by the shoulders making her jump.

"What?"

"What the hell did you call yourself?"

Comprehension dawned and Dorcas lowered her wand. Her shoulders however, remained in Sirius' grasp. She sighed. "Take a pill, Black. It doesn't bother me. It shouldn't bother you."

"Doesn't bother you?" Sirius' eyes narrowed. "That's it. That's it, isn't it? I was wondering how you could go seven years in Slytherin House and emerge unscathed. That's it. They called you mudblood so many times, you started to believe them, huh?" His voice was biting, almost cruel. Dorcas did not like his tone. She gave another martyred sigh.

"Wrong again Pureblood." She shot him that crooked grin. "It really doesn't bother me. It's not a cover. It's not that I've become desensitized. It's a defiance thing. It's a 'you can't call me mudblood because, hey look, I did it first.' It really, really, _really _does not bother me." She laughed at him, at the anger on his obviously Black face. He could not hide from what he was, even with vehement protests at her word usage. He was a Black. He might not be like them. But he was a Black. Right down to the disturbingly unpredictable temper. Like Bella. You never knew exactly what would set her off. Dorcas had the oddest feeling that her cousin was going to be the same way. To calm him, she continued. "It's never bothered me. I'm muggleborn, remember. Call me a bitch, a whore, a slut, I get it. A mudblood, it's not something I understand, I guess. I actually think it bothers you so-called blood-traitors the most. You're the ones who have grown up with it." She smiled. "And I'll admit, your righteous indignation is sweet."

Sirius was staring at her, at this tiny little girl who was unafraid to go call herself horrible names as a method of defiance. Who wanted to go after his cousin to retrieve her best friend, and who would have had they not gotten the call that she had been found safe. Who did not seem to fear anything, really. Sirius stared at her and he was filled with a sense of dark foreboding. And Sirius, who had never really feared anything in his short life, was afraid.

*******************************************************************

**Dorcas' Flat**

"I'm fucking staarrrving!" Lily sang as she slammed things around in Dorcas' apartment. Dorcas wondered briefly if she could sue for liability. Surely all the things Lily had broken over the years they had been friends would build her a case. Quickly as it had come, Dorcas dismissed the idea. Lily was broke. Dorcas couldn't squeeze enough out of her to pay the lawyers.

"Macaroni and Cheese! Dorcas, you are an angel, you know that?" Lily picked up the spoon and began eating directly from the pot.

"Bowl." Dorcas suggested weakly.

"I'm good."

Dorcas shook her head sadly. Some things would never change. Such as Lily. And her dislike for tableware. And, for that matter, glasses.

"Cup." Dorcas moaned as Lily drank apple juice directly from the carton.

"Thanks anyway." Lily beamed at her best friend. Dorcas wondered if she was oblivious or sadistic. Perhaps a happy combination between the two.

"Hey Lils? It's been a couple of weeks. I've given you your space and all. But maybe you should talk about what happened. You know, with Benjy?" Dorcas felt a little sick at the mention of his name. She was taking Benjy's death rather hard. The two had always been close seeing as under Dumbledore's orders both were up to their ears, so to speak, in Death Eaters. After her conversation with Sirius the night of Lily's disappearance, or The-Night-Evans-Gave-'Em-Hell as James had taken to calling it (Lily looked somewhat pained every time he said this), Dorcas had tried to get in touch with Benjy to no avail. When Lily had returned, all focus had been on her safety. James, Sirius, and Dorcas were still a little overprotective, insisting that she be escorted from Point A to Point B and never be without a partner for guard duty.

"Nothing to tell Dork. They came. Benjy took off his mask. We went to Hogsmeade. They blew him up. Pretty cut and dry. I know you two were friends and I'm sorry it happened, but I really can't say much else. We weren't exactly friends. More like casual acquaintances. I just happened to watch him die." Dorcas stared at Lily. This reaction was uncharacteristic. Usually Dorcas didn't have to pry. Usually she was told more than she wanted to know. When the two had been in school and something bad had happened, Lily had come screaming and crying into the Slythering Common Room (got to love Head Girl priviliges) and sobbed until Dorcas managed to decipher the gist of what had happened. This, though, this casual indifference, this was disturbing.

"But did he say anything? Before, I mean?"

"He asked me to pass on a message to his mother. Something about a lost year? I haven't done it yet. I mean, I will obviously. I'm just waiting for the right time."

"Funeral not opportune enough?" Dorcas asked snidely.

"Watch it Dork. Your Silver and Green is leaking."

Dorcas looked properly abashed. "The lost year, that's a funny way of putting it. He did kind of go off his rocker sixth year. No one was really sober, much sixth year though. I think that's pretty universal. I mean O.W.L's are behind you and N.E.W.T's are far ahead. It's the party year, yeah? But maybe there was more to his than that."

Lily did not look very interested. "Maybe."

"He saved your life Lily."

"I know. I'm just trying to hold off on the caring thing. As long as I'm detached, I can pretend it was someone else, you know?"

"That's not you, Lily. You face emotion head on. Closing yourself off, this isn't you."

"Maybe I want to survive now. Maybe I want to be like you?" Lily seemed to be asking permission. It was a permission Dorcas would refuse to give.

"No. That's not you. Maybe you'll survive. Maybe you won't. But if you make it through, you are going to make it through as yourself. War changes people. I don't want it to change you."

"I saw a man die. I saw a man DIE, Dorcas. Brutally. It was sick. And it was my fault." Lily's voice raised to almost hysterical levels in a matter of seconds. Dorcas felt relief overtake her, but she never changed her expression.

"Yes you did. And you're going to get over this. Your way. The healthy way. Not mine. The dark and twisty way. Got it?"

Tears spilled out of Lily's eyes as she collapsed into the arms of her oldest friend. "Got it." She whispered.

*****************************************************************

**James and Lily's Cottage**

"I kind of love you."

"I kind of love you too." James laughed at Lily's uncertain declaration and leaned around to kiss the side of her head. The two were sitting in an overstuffed armchair in front of the fire, Lily in James' lap making such a sickeningly adorable picture that, had Dorcas or Sirius walked in the room, they surely would have run out screaming.

"No. I mean I really think I kind of love you. Like the forever kind. And ever. Til death do us part and holy matrimony and the really fucking long time. You know?"

James turned Lily so that she was facing him. He had a quizzical look on his face, not quite certain if he could believe what she was saying yet, just in case she was planning on taking it back. Like the first three times she accepted his invitation to Hogsmeade. "Are you saying--" he trailed off.

Lily pondered a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I am."

James stared at Lily for a long time, his expression intense and unfathomable. "Then say it."

Lily knew what he meant. "So James," she began uncertainly. "You, uh, doing anything the rest of your life?" Lily's grin was shaky, but sure. "No? Well you wanna get married?"

*****************************************************************

**Sirius Garage:**

"Let me make sure I've got this absolutely straight. She proposed to you?"

"Yes."

"She asked you to marry her."

"Yeah. It was beautiful."

"She didn't, you know, get down on one knee or anything, did she? Because that'd be kind of weird, brother. Just saying."

"Nah. She was sitting in my lap. And we hadn't said anything for a while. Then she said she kind of loved me. And I said I kind of loved her too. And then she proposed."

"Well I'll say this for you. No one can ever call you orthodox."

"It's only fair. I put myself out there, God knows how many times. If it weren't for me, we never would have gotten together. It was her turn."

"Arrogant bastard. Listen to yourself. 'If it weren't for me, we never would have gotten together.' I'm pretty damn sure she had a say in it too, mate."

"Yeah. As I recall, that was the problem."

*****************************************************************

**Dorcas' Flat**

"Lily, you've just been through a traumatizing ordeal. Don't do anything rash."

Lily smiled serenely. She had been doing a lot of that today, smiling serenely. Also: not raising her voice and Dorcas had not heard the word fuck escape her lips once. She seemed to be becoming A Wife already. "It wasn't rash Dorcas. I'm absolutely sure about James."

"Dear god. That scares me more than anything. Since when have you been absolutely sure about anything for more than five minutes straight? Especially James! Snap out of it Evans!"

"Okay, okay. I'm just fucking with you." Lily cackled. "But I really did propose. And I really am getting married." Lily froze, icy horror encompassing her. "Holy shit. I'm getting married."

"Here we go. This is the reaction I was looking for. Missed you Lily. How was life on Planet Stepford?"

"Holy-shit-holy-shit-holy-shit-holy-shit-holy-shit-shit-shit!"

"Sure Lily, I'd love to be your Maid of Honor."

"Mother fucking hell!"

"What color dress do you want? Tell me fast so I can call Sirius and he can get the same color tie. I don't think this how weddings usually work, but I'm assuming this is going to be pretty low key."

"Sweet Jesus, son of Mary, mother of God! Bloody sodding hell!"

"Couple of witnesses maybe. Your mum. Remus. Peter." Dorcas conjured a notebook out of thin air. "Do you want a minister to officiate or someone within the wizarding community? Hmm. We should look into that."

"Oh my effing God!"

"Flowers!"

"Christ."

"Are you quite finished?"

Lily nodded weakly and Dorcas continued. "What colors are you thinking?"

"Black. Mourning. For my single-hood. Single-dom. Single-whatsit."

"Oh get over yourself, if you were going to mourn your single-dom you would have done it years ago. You know why you proposed to James."

"Why?"

"What was going through your mind when you asked him?"

"Oh my, this man is fit?"

"Besides that."

"I almost lost him. I don't want to lose him. I want to be with him forever."

"Exactly. Now. What color flowers are you thinking?"

**Slightly shorter. But Lily and James are engaged! Albeit reluctantly. Much love to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I went back and fixed the more grievous errors (such as the mountain--who knew?-- sorry about that, I'm from the Southern United States and I've never even been to England. Should have looked it up first though.) Also the switching from third to first person. Total mistake. Apologies. I tried to make this chapter a little more clear as to who was speaking. Hope it helped. Review please!**


	5. In which Lily Hyperventilates

Lily was very busy hyperventilating. Her eyes were huge and tear-filled. Her skin was, somehow, even paler than was normal. Her hair was a tangled mess, having fallen down from its elaborate up-do ages ago. Her heal was broken. Was that a tequila stain on her dress?

Lily didn't care. She was far too busy hyperventilating. Sirius wandered into the dressing room to find the bride alone and in a fetal position. He immediately scanned for the threat, before realizing that there wasn't one and that Lily was just being a bit of an idiot.

But she was allowed.

It was her wedding day, after all.

"Jesus, Lily. Looking distinctly Miss. Havisham this fine morning, aren't we?"

Lily began sobbing.

"Breathe, Evans. Heh hoo heh hoo." Sirius demonstrated. He was standing in front of her, her hand on her shoulders. "Jesus, Lily, I'm serious. Breathe! You're white as a sheet."

Lily did not breathe. She buried her face in Sirius' chest. "He's not coming. He's not coming because he doesn't love me, and he's just now realizing it, and I'm going to have to stand up in front of all those people and announce that James Potter doesn't love me anymore!"

"Look, Lily," Sirius said, calmly, fighting the laugh that was bubbling up in his chest. "If James doesn't show, _I'l_l stand up and tell everyone that he doesn't love you anymore. Okay? Does that make you feel better?"

"Why the hell would that make me feel better, Sirius?"

"BUT, I highly doubt James will blow this off. Peter has gone to look for him, right now. When I last saw him he was slightly hung-over, but very excited."

Lily's breathing became unsteady again so Sirius continued in the most soothing tone he could call up under the circumstances. "He'll be back any minute now. Don't you worry your pretty little head over this, Sugar. Everything's going to be fine."

"I'm getting married in four and a half minutes, and my fiancé is NOT HERE!" Lily jerked her head away from Sirius' shoulder in order to glare at him. "Would you mind explaining to me just HOW this is going to be fine? And where the fuck is Dorcas?" Lily blanched. She suddenly knew exactly what had happened. She buried her face in Sirius' shoulder again. "Oh my god! He's run off with Dorcas!" She wailed.

Sirius laughed. He winced when she punched him. "Babe, I'm sorry. But that was funny." He rubbed his arm, and grinned. "Sweetheart, I'm about 94% sure that James and Dorcas did not run away together."

"That means you are 6% sure that she did! Oh, what am I saying? Of course they ran away together. She's prettier than me, and tiny, and perfect, and sh-sh-she knows how to cook!"

"All are valid reasons to like her better." Sirius allowed and Lily punched him again.

"Ow. Also I think she's slightly less violent."

Lily continued to bawl. Sirius led her over to the rocking chair by the window. They were at Potter Manor, in James' mother's room. She'd oh-so-generously offered up her sitting room for the bride to get ready in with the stipulation that the room was left in exactly the condition they found it in. An irate house-elf was standing on a stool surveying the room looking as though she expected Lily to snap and begin throwing powder and breaking headboards.

You never knew with those muggleborns.

Sirius gently set her down and knelt down in front of her. He tugged her hands away from her eyes and held them fast, so she could not cover up her face again. "Lily?"

She turned her face away, like an irate toddler.

"Lily!"

Lily still stared out the window.

"Lily, for the love of all things good and holy, if you do not fucking look at me, I will curse you. Do you think I'm kidding?"

Lily slowly turned. "Yes. But I've been wrong before."

Sirius smiled. "That's better. Now listen to me, okay? I've known James very well, for a very long time. He is my family. He is my person. He's listed as my next of kin, if I should turn up in St. Mungo's. He's my brother." Sirius paused. "And I've seen James with a fair few birds."

"What part of this is supposed to be making me feel better?"

Sirius continued as though she hadn't interrupted. "But, I have never seen him as hung up on anyone as he is on you. When your name is mentioned, he lights up. I can always tell when he's thinking of you because he gets the most obnoxious look on his face. And you know what? I don't even resent you for it. You've made it so clear that you are not taking him away from his friends; you are simply hijacking our group. And I am so proud to call you my friend. James would never, not in a million years, stand you up. And you can count on that."

Lily smiled crookedly. She blushed a little, then "I'm sorry for hitting you."

"Yeah well, tell that to my adoring fans. They're the ones who will riot because you damaged the goods."

Lily lifted an arm to sock him again, then slowly lowered it. "Come on. Let's get you fixed up." He said, leading her back to the mirror. "Okay. Which one of these is lipstick?"

"Oh, get out of the way, Black!" A blur of blonde hair, and black taffeta flew into the room, like an avenging pixie. "Oh dear god. _What _am I going to do with you, Lily?"

"Dork! You and James didn't run away together!"

"Well we tried but Peter caught up with us in Cancun and dragged our sorry adulterous asses back. Is that _tequila_ on your dress?"

"I should remember to thank Peter for that later."

"Yeah, me too." Dorcas agreed. "Now what have you done to your make-up? And where the hell are your eyebrows?"

Tears began to leak from Lily's eyes again. "I was trying to charm them thinner!"

"With what? A vanishing spell?"

"Sirius, don't you dare leave me!"

Sirius, who had been backing slowly from the room as one might back away from a rabid raccoon, jumped and looked at Lily and Dorcas guiltily. "You know, comforting the freaking-out-bride is more in your job description than mine. My job is get the groom drunk, then give a highly embarrassing toast. Then I'm home free. This is your job."

"Oh shut up and start working on her eyebrows," Dorcas ordered

Sirius shut up. And Sirius obeyed. Lily paused in her freak-out in order to marvel at this. Since when did Sirius do anything he was told to do? This was something to file away and think about later.

While Sirius charmed her eyebrows on her face, Dorcas worked on repairing her shoes and the damage done to her face. "Jesus! Did you have to choose today to have a melt-down? I don't know if there is any charm in the world for this level of puffiness."

"You know, Lily's cool and all, but you don't have to call her Jesus, Meadows." Sirius said, conversationally. He ducked as she threw a mascara wand at him. "Just sayin'," he said with a grin.

Lily swiveled her head back and forth between the two. "Sirius? Go get my fiancé please? I want to make sure he is here and safe and alive and all that. I want to see him, NOW!"

Sirius jumped up. "Glad to, love. You have no idea how glad."

Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Dollface. I know you'll miss me. You'll just have to survive for a few minutes without me."

"Sirius? I realize my name is terrible, but you do realize that I have one? A name? A name that you can use to call me? A name that is not Pet, or Lovey, Sweetheart, or Dollface?" She grimaced and Sirius laughed.

"Lovey? You have permission to curse me if I ever call you lovey, Sweet thang."

"OUT!"

Sirius laughed as the door slammed behind him. He shook his head as he stumbled down the familiar steps at Potter Manor, where he had spent every summer holiday. Christmas was spent at Hogwarts because he just couldn't resist the spell of the empty castle. Well, almost empty. Every year starting Third Year, Lily had joined him. It was actually why he considered her such a good friend. He had been the only "marauder," that she had been able to tolerate for a bit when James' head had exploded to epic proportions.

Sirius paused a moment to remember. Today was a good day for nostalgia, after all. His family was getting married and he still hadn't come up with a best man speech.

All was right in the world.

Christmas, 1975

The common room was deserted. The fire crackled cozily in the corner making the silence less ominous. The bright fire and lamps decorating the walls warmed and made the whirling snow out the windows seem far away. Sirius was in the chair closest to the fire, reading. Christmas holidays was the only time of year when Sirius could read uninterrupted.

Lily ran into the Common Room in her usual silent graceful way with suits of armor crashing and portrait holes slamming. Sirius sighed. It _was_ peaceful. Lily did not know the meaning of peace. Wild and careless, Lily was the life of every party. She also had trouble knowing when the party was over and it was time for some quiet.

"SIRIUS!" She shouted, in her usual soft, polite way.

Sirius sighed. Well, actually it was more like a groan. He loved Lily, but she could be such a pain in the ass.

He told her so.

"Yeah, yeah, I get the routine. I'm a pain in the ass, you want quiet. I get it. But you'll never guess what I saw!"

"What did you see, Lily?" Sirius asked in the tone of a martyr.

"I saw Professor Sprout and Professor Sinastra."

"So-fucking-what?"

"I SAW Professor Sprout and Professor Sinastra."

"Yes, you already mentioned that once," Sirius remarked, lazily.

"No, Sirius, you're not getting the point. I SAW them. As in like, you know." Lily flushed a little.

Sirius' eyes widened. He sat up a little straighter. "As in?"

Lily nodded furiously.

Sirius stood up, excited now. "But, Sinastra's married!"

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Do you know what this means?"

"Video camera!" Lily sang.

"A what?"

"A—You know what? Never mind."

"This is perfect. We've been looking for something on Sinastra."

"I figured as much. She's so awful about you-know-whats."

"Whats?"

Lily looked slightly uncomfortable. "You know. Werewolves." She whispered.

"What about werewolves?" Sirius asked dangerously.

"Hows abouts I tell you on the way? Go get a camera, we're going to miss it!"

Sirius raced upstairs to snag Peter's Moment Capturer '67.

"Okay. Start talking." He said firmly.

"What do you know?"

"What do you know?" He countered.

"I can't tell you what I know because I just assumed you know but you might know and I can't tell you something that you don't know because you might not know it and then I would fell terrible for telling you something you don't know because you weren't supposed to know it. You know?"

"Well I guarantee I know more than you know."

"How can you guarantee that you know more than I know? You don't even know what I know!"

"I know that I'm Remus' best friend. And that means I know _everything_."

"Remus? Wait, you were talking about REMUS?"

"Oh shit."

"I'm just kidding. I knew we were talking about Remus."

"You are a brat, you know that?"

"Yeah."

"So how do you know about Remus?"

"Dumbledore, actually. I was in his office last year. He called me in when my dad died, remember?" Lily paused pulling herself back together. "Anyway, he left me in there, and I was sad, and I was looking for something to distract me. So I saw that he had left this cabinet door open. And then I saw his pensieve in it, right?"

"Nice, Lily." Sirius commented.

"And what you do have done? I mean it was right there."

"No, actually, I was complimenting you."

"Oh. Thanks. Anyway, I saw Dumbledore talking to Remus and his parents about the Shrieking Shack and all that. And I saw some other stuff too. But its not stuff I want to talk about." Lily face was sort of pale. She looked sick.

"You okay?" Sirius touched her hand. It was ice-cold.

"I'm fine. But I wish I could forget some of what I saw. Dumbledore has a lot of sad memories." She shuddered.

"How long did you watch?"

"I don't know. A long time. Then Dumbledore came and pulled me out and told me never to tell anyone because it was Remus' secret to tell. As if I didn't know that already. And he asked me if I wanted to talk about any of the other things I'd seen. Which I didn't. So he let me go. I went straight from there to the funeral. It was a bad day."

Sirius nodded.

Lily felt a small smile tug at her lips. This was why she liked Sirius. No sharing of feelings. No prying. You could just _be_ with Sirius.

"So what's the plan?" She asked.

"Oh, I think cut and dry blackmail. Nothing too fancy."

"I'm kind of surprised. I mean I always knew about Sprout. But Sinastra? She always seemed so… I don't know. Straight."

"If anyone I would have guessed Delia Hooch." Sirius agreed.

"But she's a student!" Lily gasped, scandalized.

"I know. Pretty hot, too." Sirius leered.

"Perv."

"Prude."

Sirius slowly came back to the present. James was his brother. And Lily? Lily had always been his sister. Remus wandered into the hall.

"Hey, have you seen James, Moony?" Sirius smiled as he used the old, familiar childhood nickname. Life had been too weird lately, too fast, and too painful. He hadn't realized how much he had missed his friend until he'd seen him the night before at James' bachelor party.

"I haven't, actually. He's not here yet?"

"Nope."

"I better go check on Lily then."

"You do that. She's been panicky all morning. Go try your hand at calming her down. And let me know if you see James.

Speak of the devil, as soon as Remus disappeared around the corner, James sauntered into his mother's house with all the bluster that a man severely hung over and about to sign over the rest of his life could muster up.

"You're late."

"I know." James' shoulders drooped.

"You better have a good excuse."

James eyes remained downcast. Sirius' joking demeanor fell.

"Who?" He demanded.

"Don't tell Lily." James whispered.

"Who?"

James sighed. "The Prewitts. Fabian, Gideon, Gideon's wife, their six month old. Killed at Fabian's house. Their sister, Molly, arrived at the scene this morning at eight to check on them and found the Mark. She's at St. Mungo's. Severe shock. Dumbledore requested that I be the one to escort her. Then I had to come back and help clean up the mess. They were having Marley Mckinnon help. She and Fabian were mad for each other, Sirius, I couldn't leave her to do it alone."

"You should have called me." Sirius looked twice his age all of a sudden. The twins, Gideon and Fabian were universally adored. They always had a kind word or a joke to lighten the mood. And Gideon's daughter… just six months old. She never even had a chance to become a person. Only a monster could commit a crime like that.

"Nah. I knew you were with Lily. Someone had to keep her sane this morning."

Sirius shook his head in a feeble attempt to shake off some of the sadness. "She's asking for you, mate. She's been in a right state all morning. I think she knew something was wrong so she worked herself into a frenzy over the little stuff. You know how she is."

James smiled a little. "Thanks for taking care of her."

"It's your job now."

James smile grew just a bit and he bounded up the stairs. Remus walked over to Sirius. "Crazy kids." He commented.

Sirius just grinned, albeit somewhat sadly. They had been so invincible, graduating from Hogwarts, ready to save the world. All of them. The Prewitts had only been a year older than them. Marley McKinnon was their age. Now she'd lost her person, the man she'd thought she would spend the rest of her life with. And Gideon and Fabian and Laura and the baby? No one was invincible, Sirius was beginning to realize. No one would survive this war unscathed.


End file.
